Block molding machine



March i5, 1932. F J. STRAUB 1,849,889

BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1928 2 Sheets-$116613 l Mmh 15,1932. F. J. STRAUB 1,849,889

BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar.15, 1932 FRANCISLJ. ,similia or NEW.Kammerer;{PENNsYnvANmfj j BLOCKMoLniNGMAcnrNE "l y applicati@ iednovember 16,1928. semaine: 319,901.

My invention relatesto improvements in mold-ing machines -for concretebuilding blocks and thelike.-

In the manufacture of` such 1iblocks,any suit? 5j able aggregate mixedwith water and a bindingy material, as cement, and of proper con!sistency, is ordinarilyA charged` into the interior of a forming moldand therein subjected to the tamping action ofany'suitable means, asreciprocable tamps, for packing the aggregate successively from thebottom or top, as it is charged into the mold. A

The operation is generally the same, whether the entire cavity of themold is filled, or

whether the" aggregate' is iilled within the ymold around upstandingcores for the formaof transverse openings Ain thev finished I have foundthat in such Operation, utiliz- A- ing molds of the usual construction,certain portions of the block iailto receive suiiicient compression'to'form blocks of uniform density thr.oughout,the lowerv outer edge por-vtions of the block being frequently t'oo open or incomplete, dueto'failure ofthe-aggregate to completely and vsolidly iill such por-`tions. v V My invention has in View to overcome such inequality and lackof density by means ofV 30 movable walls, adapted to inwardly compressthe opposite sides or end portions of the block laterally, whereby tovcompensate for such lack of compression and torenderthe blockthroughout of uniform consistencyand solidity. Y 1

One preferred embodiment of the-invention is illustrated in the encloseddrawings, which show the mold portion of an entire block making machine,certain other standard features of which, as elevating and dischargingmechanism, being omitted, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form ofplural chambered molding machine provided with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the same in end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a view of the machine in side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line Ivi-IV of Fig. l.

Referring tothedrawings, `2 are' the mainf end plates or frames of themachine, at the: upper portion of whichy areprovided Ioneor more moldingcavities 3. These, as shown, p are plural in number, extending betweenthe ,55K4 end plates `2withtransverse divisiongplates 4 at intervals,defining' thewidth of the fblockf l to be formed, as will be readily'understood. V

Partition plates 4 may be'permanent uor removable `as desired, andmounted `in any suitable mannen providing smooth-faced walls betweenwhich the Aag-gregatermay be charged -andtamped upon the usualsupporting pallet 5, first laidin the bottom offthe mold cavity.

` The end walls 6, whichv may beiaced with an'inne'rsheet metal lining 7if: desired,V` are: pivotally mounted at their upperportions upontransversesupporting bars 8f at each opposite side of the machine, andvare capable of inward VV'and outward swinging movement thereon, under]the actuating effect `oi f means adapted to'throw the walls outwardly orin-v v wardly ateac'hisidesimultaneously.l wf

For such purpose, `l; utilize suitably designed cams or eccentrics-9,mounted on actu-` ating shafts 10 to which they are keyed f or otherwisesecured for rotative movement by' rotation of the shaft'lO. Said-'shaftsare'provided, one with a' hand operating leverflland a shortlever 12 and13 respectively,v one for eachshaft. j

4-Levers`12 and 13 areI connected by a bar 14, so that as thehand lever11 is operated it'will transmit a corresponding movement through lever12 and connection 14 to lever 13so that bothfshafts lO will be rotatedftogether, but inthe opp'ositedirection. v.Such opposite di'- rectionmovement .isI easilyaccompli'shed/ by 9o arranging one ofthelevers,downwardlyl and the other upwardly, asshow'n in Fig. `2.v j jEach wall- 6 is provided atits outerside with a keeper or guard15,f,bolted or screwed y to the outer side of the mold wall 6, as at;16.95 The brackets orguards as thus made extend p downwardly and outwardlywithin range: of the eXtendedportions of cams. 9,- so that when they areAthrown outward-lyby .properv lever 'Ici Y action, the side-rwallsiv'kwill s'be -correspondp100 ingly swung outwardly on their pivotingsupporting ars 8, as in Fig. 4.

' When'the lever is reversed, as to the position shown in Fig. 2, thenthe cams are rotated in the opposite direction and bear inwardly againstthe lower face portions of the sideG, thrusting them. inwardly tovertical position, whereby to vdefine perpendicular limiting faces forthe block in formation.

It will thus be seen that while the upper .area of'the mold cavity ineach case is sub? stantially unvarying, the lower-'portion may bematerially decreased by such inward movement of the walls, soY that theyends are brought into parallelism for forming a rectangular block, whichmayjrvbe then ejected upwardly.A Y

he desirable eEect ofksuch inward movement of the walls is to compressthe aggregate at the lower edge portions of the b-lock, in-Y creasingits density, filling out any voids, and

resulting in a substantially uniform block-v formationthro,ughout.

The cam actuation'of the mold walls may be supplemental.Y to the fillingand tamping operation, or theymay be gradually adjusted inwardly as thetamping progresses, dependent o n conditions, consistency of theaggregate, or other controlling factors.

If it is desired to use the mold in the ordinary manner, the cams may beset inwardly so as to maintain the walls vertical throughoutV thefilling and' taniping operation inthe manner of an ordinary mold.

Y It will beunderstood that the hand .lever operation of shafts 10 maybe substitutedb-y anyf power operated mechanism, or foot j treadledevice, whereby to effect the vdesired,

inward and outwardv movement to the end walls. 1

Y Also that the machine.may be variously changed ory modified in detailconstruction as. to application of movement toeither pair of walls, i.e-.,-end or side, or by designing different Vparts of the machine toadaptit to any special shape, size, lor design of block, but that allsuch changes are to be understood as within the province of the skilledmechanic. and the scope of the following claims.

, What I claim is:

f f1. In a molding machine provided lwithal.,

block-forming cavity, opposite end walls having a pivoting mountingsupport at their-upper portions between intervening side walls and meansfor swinging their lower portions outwardly between the side walls tooppositely sloping positions during "charging and inwardlyy to verticalcompressing positions against the mold contents". z -f -1 E 2.In amolding machine provided with opposite conning simultaneously outwardlyrectan ular open top and simultaneously inwardlyswinging side walls eachhaving a cam bracket, the combination therewithlof actuating camsbetween walls each having a cam yOf, a pair ing movable walls having apivoted mount-vk Yin opposite directions. j n 3. n a molding machineprovided with opposite confining simultaneously outwardly andsimultaneously inwardly swinging side bracket, the combination therewithof actuating cams between each wall and-its-bracket forimparting in-Ward and outward movement to the walls,

lshafts for said cams, and lever mechanism for actuating the shafts andvcams together to engage the walls and brackets respectively in oppositedirections.

4. yIn a molding,machine,.thecombinationY with fixed side walls andasupporting bottom, of adjustable end walls pivotally mounted at' theirupperV portions between the side walls ,for outward' andl inwardmovement therebetween, Yeach end wall having an,V outf bracket, a pairofac wardly extending cam each having a cam lotuating shafts thereforcated between oneof said walls and its brack-' et, and fmeansforractuating both of'said shafts and their cams together.

5. In a molding machine, the

with fixed side walls and a supporting bottom, of adjustable end wallspivotally mount-YV edl at their upper portionsbetween the side wallsVfor outwardjand inward movement combination therebetween, each endf wallhaving an outwardly extending cam bracketa pair of actuating shaftstherefor each having a cam locatedbetween one of said walls and vitsbrack-` et, a leverl on each shaft, alink connecting said levers, and anoperating lever on one of said shafts. Y v f 6. In a molding machine,the combination of opposite iixed walls, intervensignature..V Y

FRANCIS J. STRAUB.

